Self-centering paper roll holder

ABSTRACT

A self-centering holder for a roll of paper wound on a hollow core. The holder comprises a cantilevered mandrel on which the core of the paper roll is mounted. The mandrel has slots at either end, with flanges extending through the slots at the supported end and slidable depressible latches extending through slots at the unsupported end. A coupling mechanism inside the mandrel insures that the flanges and the latches are always equally distant from the center of the mandrel. A paper roll is mounted on the mandrel by sliding the core over the depressed latches and pushing the end of the core against the flanges. As the flanges slide toward the supported end of the mandrel, the latches move outward toward the unsupported end. When the latches reach the end of the core they pivot outward through the corresponding slots to engage the core and retain it in position on the mandrel.

[ Mar. 26, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A self-centering holder for a roll of paper wound on a SELF-CENTERING PAPER ROLL HOLDER Inventor: Daniel Richard Emy, Boonton, NJ.

hollow core. The holder comprises a cantilevered [73] Assignee: Van Dyk Research Corporation,

mandrel on which the core of the paper roll is Whippany, NJ.

mounted. The mandrel has slots at either end, with [22] Fil d; F b, 23, 1973 flanges extending through the slots at the supported Appl. N0.: 335,051

end and slidable depressible latches extending through slots at the unsupported end. A coupling mechanism inside the mandrel insures that the flanges and the latches are always equally distant from the center of the mandrel. A paper roll is mounted on the mandrel by sliding the core over the depressed latches and pushing the end of the core against the flanges. As the 1% 5 oo SW6 1 t 2 3 ans .66 m5 5 2 n4 mh c .r. Ha 9 s L hf C w .w UhF HUN 555 [[1 References Cited flanges slide toward the supported end of the mandrel,

UNITED STATES PATENTS the latches move outward toward the unsupported end. When the latches reach the end of the core they pivot outward through the corresponding slots to en- 242/55 2 g gage the core and retain it m position on the mandrel.

3,346,208 Hoffman 2,622,814 12/1952 Benke......... 3,531,057 9/1970 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Primary ExaminerJohn W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur L. Lessler SELF-CENTERING PAPER ROLL HOLDER This invention relates to a self-centering holder for a roll having a hollow core.

In many types of office and manufacturing equipment, materials utilized in the equipment are in the form of a roll which must be periodically replaced. For example, in the textile field rolls of fabric and of yarn to be dyed or otherwise processed must be periodically installed and replaced. In office copying machines, rolls of plain or coated paper must similarly be periodically replaced.

In many types of equipment it is either essential or highly desirable that the roll be centered on its mandrel, preferably by automatic means. In addition, it is desirable that the roll holder be of cantilevered design in order to facilitate simple and rapid changing of rolls, that the roll holder rotate with the roll core as material is unwound from or wound upon the roll, and that the roll holder be movable from a loading position to an operating position.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sturdy, reliable roll holder having all of the aforementioned features.

As herein described there is provided a self-centering holder for a roll having a hollow core. The holder comprises a fixed support, with a hollow cylindrical elongated sleeve rotatably mounted on the support. A roll supporting hollow cylindrical elongated mandrel is secured to the sleeve for rotation therewith. The sleeve extends into the mandrel through one end of the man- 'drel, and is coaxial therewith.

At least one slidable latch member is disposed within the mandrel and extends through a longitudinal slot in the mandrel. The latch member is movable between a core-engaging position wherein the member abuts one end of the core of the roll, and a core-release position wherein the latch member is disposed entirely within the mandrel.

A slidable flange assembly is disposed within the mandrel and has at least one flange member extending through a longitudinal slot in the mandrel to engage the other end of the core of the roll. Coupling means including a pulley assembly is disposed within the mandrel for mechanically connecting the latch member to the flange assembly to dispose the latch member and flange assembly at equal distances from a desired plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel.

In the drawing:

FIG. I is an isometric view of a roll holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view, in partial cross-section, of the roll holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the center block and pulley assembly which constitutes part of the operating mechanism of the roll holder shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the latch arrangement which constitutes part of the operating mechanism of the roll holder shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fixed support in the form of a metal member 1 1 is mounted, by means not shown, for rotation about a vertical axis 10. A hollow cylindrical elongated support sleeve 12 extends through a horizontal hole in the fixed support 1 1 and is cantilevered away from the support. The support sleeve 12 is secured to the fixed support 11 and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis by means of suitable ball bearings (not shown).

A roll holding hollow mandrel 13 is secured to and supported by the cantilevered end. of the support sleeve 12. Thus the mandrel 13 is free to rotate about a hori zontal axis.

The mandrel 13 has two longitudinal slots 14 disposed adjacent its unsupported end, and three longitudinal slots 15 disposed adjacent the supported end thereof. An end cap 16 provides a closure for the unsupported end of the mandrel 13.

Latch members 17 are mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in each of the slots 14, while a flange assembly 18 having three flange members 19 extending through each of the slots 15, is also mounted for longitudinal sliding movement.

An internal self-centering mechanism disposed within the interior of the mandrel 13 mechanically connects the latch members 17 to the flange assembly 18 so that the latch members 17 and the flange members 19 are always disposed at equal distances from the center plane 20 of the mandrel 13.

When there. is no roll mounted on the mandrel 13, this self-centering mechanism draws the latch members 17 and the flange members 19 inward to the ends of their respective slots, i.e. the ends closest to the center plane 20. As the latch members 17 approach the inner end of their respective slots 14, the internal mechanism within the mandrel 13 causes the latch members 17 to pivot inside the mandrel.

When a roll having a hollow cylindrical core is' slid over the end cap 16 and onto the mandrel 13, one end of the core engages the flange members 19, pushing these flange members and the associated flange assembly 18 toward the fixed support 11. At the same time, the internal self-centering mechanism within the mandrel 13 causes the latch members 17 to move outward toward the end cap 16. When the roll core is pushed onto the mandrel sufficiently far so that the inner edges 21 of the latch members 17 are beyond the core, springs within the mandrel 13 cause the latch members 17 to pivot outward so that they extend through the slots 14. When this happens, the inner edges 21 of the latch members 17 bear against the side of the roll core and retain the core in position.

To release the roll from the mandrel 13, a latch actuating rod is provided which when pulled toward the unsupported end of the mandrel 13 causes the latch members 17 to pivot into the mandrel. This latch actuating rod extends through a hole in the end cap 16 and terminates in a knob 22.

When the knob 22 is pulled outward, i.e. away from the end cap 16, the latch members 17 pivot within the mandrel 13; thereafter the knob 22 is released, and the self-centering mechanism within the mandrel causes the depressed latch members 17 and the flange members 19 to move toward the centermost ends of their respective slots. As the flange members 19 move toward the centermost ends of their respective slots, they push the roll core off the unsupported end of the mandrel 13, thus facilitating removal of the core from the mandrel.

If desired, a brake band 23 may be provided to engage a cylindrical member (not shown) which rotates with the mandrel 13. The brake band 23 may be coupled to a dancer bar or other suitable mechanism for tensioning the material being withdrawnfrom the roll.

The manner in which the automatic self-centering mechanism operates will be more clearly understood by reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, which show portions of the interior structure within the mandrel 13.

As seen in FIG. 2, a cylindrical center block 26 is disposed within the mandrel 13 in the region of the center plane thereof, and secured to themandrel by means of screws 28. The surface of the center block 26 facing the supported end of the mandrel is counterbored to receive the end of the hollow cylindrical elongated support sleeve 12. One of the screws 28 abuts against a flat on the end of the sleeve 12 to secure the sleeve 12 to the center block 26.

A mandrel support flange unit 30, in the form of a disk having a circular groove therein, couples the adjacent end of the mandrel 13 to the support sleeve 12 for rotation therewith, and limits longitudinal outward movement of the flange members 19 of the flange assembly 18. The adjacent end of the mandrel 13 is disposed in the circular slot of the mandrel support flange unit 30, and retained therein by screws 32. The support sleeve 12 extends through a hole in the center of the flange unit 30, and is secured thereto by a key (not shown). Thus the support sleeve 12 is rotatably mounted on the fixed support 1 1 by means of ball bearings 34 and 36, and the mandrel 13 is secured to the support sleeve 12 for rotation therewith by means of the center block 26 and the mandrel support flange unit 30.

The flange assembly 18 is slidably mounted on the support sleeve 12, which extends through a center hole in the flange assembly. Thus the flange assembly 18 may slide along the support sleeve 12, the movement of the flange assembly 18 being limited at one end of the slots 15 by engagement of the flange members 19 with the mandrel support flange unit 30, and at the other end of the slots 15 by engagement of the centermost surface 38 of the flange assembly 18 with a stop rod 40 secured to and extending from the center block 26.

Disposed on the side of the center block 26 facing the unsupported end of the mandrel 13 is a pulley assembly 42, mounted for rotation about a transverse axis 44 by means of support flanges 46 secured to the center block 26.

A a pair of slide rods 48 and 50 extend between the end cap 16 and the center block 26, each end of each slide rod being secured to said end cap and center block respectively, Mounted for sliding movement on the slide rods 48 and 50 is a latch supporting disk 52. The latch supporting disk 52 is provided with holes 54 and 56 lined with bronze bushings which engage the slide rods 48 and 50 respectively. Each of the latch members 17 is pivotally mounted to the latch supporting disk 52 by means of pivot pins 58. Springs 60 bias the latch members 17 so that they extend through the slots 14 in the mandrel 13.

Also slidably mounted on the slide rods 48 and 50 between the latch supporting disk 52 and the center block 26 is a plunger supporting disk 62. The plunger supporting disk 62 has holes lined with bronze bushings 64 and 66 which engage the slide rods 48 and 50 respectively. Extending from the surface of the plunger supporting disk 62 in the direction of the unsupported end of the mandrel 13 are latch release plungers 68 and 70 (the plunger 70 is not visible in FIG. 2).

A latch actuating rod 72 extends through holes in the end cap 16 and the latch supporting disk 52. One end of the latch actuating rod 72 is secured to the plunger supporting disk 62, the other end of the latch actuating rod 72 being secured to the knob 22.

A centering rod 74 is secured at one end to the latch supporting disk 52 by means of threaded nuts 76 and 78 and a spring 80. The latch supporting disk 52 is slidably mounted to the centering rod 74 for movement between the retention nuts 76 and 78, and is urged toward the nut 76 by the spring 80.

The other end of the centering rod 74 extends into the support sleeve 12, the centering rod 74 extending through central holes in the plunger supporting disk 62 and center block 26. The end of the centering rod 74 adjacent the supported end of the mandrel 13 is urged toward the fixed support 11 by a spring 82 secured at one end to the centering rod 74 and at the other end to an adjustable link 84. A pair of springs 86 (only one spring is visible in FIG. 2) is connected at one end of each spring to the plunger supporting disk 62 and at the other end thereof to the center block 26, to urge the plunger support disk 62 toward the center block 26. In order to prevent collision of the plunger supporting disk 62 with the pulley assembly 42, a stop rod 88 is secured to and extends from the center block 26 to limit the minimum permissible distance between the plunger supporting disk 62 and the center block 26.

Secured to the centering rod 74 adjacent the spring 82 is a cord supporting disk 90. One end of a flexible cord 92 is secured to the cord supporting disk 90, the other end of the cord 92 being wound about and secured to a pulley 94 (see FIG. 3) of the pulley assembly 42. A second flexible cord 95 is secured at one end to the surface 38 of the flange assembly 18, the other end of the cord 95 being wound about and secured to the second pulley 96 (see FIG. 3) of the pulley assembly 42.

By the term cord as herein employed is meant any suitable elongated flexible member, such as a string, wire, cable or tape. Preferably, the cords 92 and 95 comprise stainless steel wires having nylon coatings thereon. The cord 92 extends through a hole in the center block 26 and is guided toward the pulley 94 by a guide pipe 98. Similarly, the cord 95 extends through a hole in the center block 26 and is guided toward the pulley 96 by another guide pipe (not visible in FIGS. 2 and 3).

The pulleys 94 and 96 are of equal diameter, so that movement of the stop rod 74 toward the fixed support 11 causes corresponding movement of the latch supporting block 52 (which is attached to the outer end of the stop rod 74) and an equal amount of movement of the flange assembly 18 in the opposite direction, i.e. toward the unsupported end of the mandrel 13.

A cord retention clip 100 maintains the cords 92 arid 95 on the pulleys 94 and 96 respectively.

The self-centering mechanism shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 operates in the following manner.

When there is no roll mounted on the mandrel 13, the spring 82 draws the stop rod 74 toward the fixed support 1 1, and the springs 86 position the plunger supporting disk 62 against the stop rod 88. As the centering rod 74 is drawn toward the fixed support 11 by the spring 82, the latch supporting disk 52 is drawn toward the plunger supporting disc 62, causing the latch release plungers 68 and 70 to extend through holes 102 in the latch supporting disk 52, so that the ends of the latch release plungers push against the inner portions of the latch members 17, causing the latch members 17 to pivot so that they are disposed entirely within the mandrel 13, and tensioning the latch return springs 60.

At the same time, the movement of the stop rod 74 toward the fixed support 1 1 causes the flange assembly 18, via the cords 92 and 95 and the pulley assembly 42, to move toward the center block 26 until the inner surface 38 of the flange assembly 18 abuts against the stop rod 40.

Then in the resulting initial position, the latch members 17 are disposed entirely within the mandrel l3, and are positioned at or near the centermost ends of their respective slots 14, while the flange members 19 are also disposed at or near the centermost ends of their respective slots 15. By proper initial adjustment of the position of the nut 76, the distance of the edges 21 of the latch members 17 from the center plane 20 is made equal to the distance of the centermost surfaces of the latch members 19 from the center plane 20. Thereafter the cords 92 and 95 and the pulley assembly 42 insure that the latch supporting disk 52 and the flange assembly 18 are subjected to equal amounts of movement in opposite directions, so that any roll core retained at its ends by the latch members 17 and the flange members 19 is automatically centered with respect to the center plane 20 of the mandrel 13.

When a roll of paper or other material mounted on a hollow core is slid over the end cap 16 onto the mandrel 13, one end of the core engages the centermost surfaces of the flange members 19, pushing the flange assembly 18 away from the center plane 20. This causes the centering rod 74, by way of the cords 92 and 95 and the pulley assembly 42, to move toward the unsupported end of the mandrel 13, i.e. toward the end cap 16. This movement of the centering rod 74 causes the latch supporting disk 52 to move toward the end cap 16 and away from the plunger supporting disk 62. As soon as the latch supporting disk 52 has moved a sufficient distance away from the plunger supporting disk 62 so that the latch release plungers 68 and 70 no longer engage the inner portions of the latch members 17, the latch release springs 60 cause the latch members 17 to pivot outward, i.e. so that the latch members 17 extend through the slots 14 in the mandrel 13.

However, further outward movement of the latch members 17 is prevented by contact of the latch members 17 with the inside surface of the roll core, until the latch supporting disk 52 has moved toward the end cap 16 a sufficient distance so that the edges 21 of the latch members 17 are disposed beyond the end of the core. At this point, the springs 60 cause the latch members 17 to pivot further outward, so that the edges 21 of the latch members 17 abut against the outer end of the roll core, thus retaining the core in position and automatically centering it with respect to the center plane 20.

When it is desired to remove the roll from the mandrel 13, the knob 22 is pulled away from the end cap 16, causing the plunger supporting disk 62 to move toward the end cap 16, and tensioning the plunger supporting disk return springs 86. As the plunger supporting disk 62 moves toward the end cap 16, the latch release plungers 68 and 70 engage the inner portions of the latch members 17, causing the latch supporting disk 52 to move slightly away from the end of the roll core, and pivoting the latch members 17 about the pivot pins 58, so that the latch members 17 are disposed entirely within the mandrel 13. The knob 22 is then released, and the spring 82 draws the centering rod 74 and the latch supporting disk 52 toward the center block 26, as previously described. At the same time, the flange assembly 18 is drawn toward the center block 26 via cords 92 and 95 and the pulley assembly 42, the flange members 19 pushing the core off the mandrel 13 as the flange assembly 18 moves toward the center block 26. As soon as the knob 22 is released, the plunger supporting disk 62 is returned to its position abutting the stop rod 88 by the plunger supporting disk return springs 86.

The latch members 17, having been initially pivoted within the mandrel 13 by the latch release plungers 68 and 70, are prevented from pivoting outward by contact with the inside surface of the roll core. As the latch supporting disk 52 moves toward the center block 26, a point is reached where the inner portions of the latch members 17 are again engaged by the latch release plungers 68 and 70, thus maintaining the latch members 17 in their inward pivoted position, i.e. entirely within the mandrel 13.

The slots or apertures 14 and 15 are disposed parallel to the longitudinal axes of the mandrel 13 and the supporting sleeve 12, which are mounted in mutually coaxial relationship.

I claim:

1. A self-centering holder for a roll having a hollow core, comprising:

a fixed support;

a hollow cylindrical elongated sleeve rotatably mounted on said support;

a roll supporting hollow cylindrical elongated mandrel secured to said sleeve for rotation therewith, said sleeve extending into said mandrel through one end of the mandrel and being coaxial therewith;

support means adjacent said one end of said mandrel for maintaining said sleeve and said mandrel in coaxial relationship;

a center block disposed within and secured to said mandrel between the ends thereof, one end of said sleeve being secured to said block;

an end cap secured to the other end of said mandrel;

a pair of slide rods disposed within said mandrel, each rod being secured at one end to said end cap and at the other end to said center block;

a plunger supporting disk slidably mounted to said slide rods and disposed within said mandrel;

a latch supporting disk slidably mounted to said slide rods and disposed within said mandrel between said end cap and said plunger supporting disk;

at least one latch member pivotally secured to said latch supporting disk and extending through a first elongated slot in said mandrel, said slot being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel;

a latch actuating rod extending through a hole in said end cap and secured at one end thereof to said plunger supporting disk;

at least one latch release plunger secured to said plunger supporting disk, said plunger, when actuated by longitudinal movement of said actuating rod, causing said latch member to pivot so that said latch member is disposed entirely within said mandrel;

a centering rod having a first end disposed within said sleeve, said centering rod extending longitudinally through holes in said center block and plunger supporting disk and being secured at a second end thereof to said latch supporting disk;

spring means for longitudinally urging said first end of said centering rod toward said fixed support;

a pulley assembly disposed within said mandrel between said center block and said supporting disk, said pulley assembly being mounted for rotation about a transverse axis;

an annular roll holding flange assembly slidably mounted on said sleeve and disposed within said mandrel, said flange assembly having at least one flange member extending through a second elongated slot in said mandrel, said second slot being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel;

flexible cord means connecting the flange assembly to said centering rod adjacent said first end thereof by way of said pulley assembly, so that longitudinal movement of said centering rod away from said end cap results in longitudinal sliding movement of said flange assembly toward said end cap; and

plunger supporting disk return spring means for urging said plunger supporting disk toward said center block.

2. A self-centering holder according to claim 1, further including latch biasing means for pivotally urging said latch to extend through said first elongated slot.

3. A self-centering holder according to claim 1, wherein said pulley assembly is secured to said center block adjacent said plunger supporting disk, and said cord means comprises (i) a first cord having one end secured to said centering rod and the other end secured to said pulley assembly, said first cord extending through said sleeve and through a hole in said center block, and (ii) a second cord having one end secured to said flange assembly and the other end secured to said pulley assembly, 'said second cord extending through a hole in said center block.

4. A self-centering holder according to claim 1, wherein said fixed support is rotatable between a roll loading position and an operating position.

5. A self-centering holder for a roll having a hollow core, comprising:

a fixed support;

a hollow cylindrical elongated sleeve rotatably mounted on said support;

a roll supporting hollow cylindrical elongated mandrel secured to said sleeve for rotation therewith, said sleeve extending into said mandrel through one end of the mandrel and being coaxial therewith;

at least one slidable latch member disposed within said mandrel and extending through a longitudinal slot in said mandrel, said latch member being movable between a core-engaging position wherein said member abuts one end of the core of said roll, and a core-release position wherein said member is disposed entirely within said mandrel;

a slidable flange assembly disposed within said mandrel and having at least one flange member extending through a longitudinal slot in said mandrel to engage the other end of the core of said roll; and

coupling means including a pulley assembly disposed within said mandrel for mechanically connecting said latch member to said flange assembly to dispose said latch member and said flange assembly at equal distances from a desired plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel. 

1. A self-centering holder for a roll having a hollow core, comprising: a fixed support; a hollow cylindrical elongated sleeve rotatably mounted on said support; a roll supporting hollow cylindrical elongated mandrel secured to said sleeve for rotation therewith, said sleeve extending into said mandrel through one end of the mandrel and Being coaxial therewith; support means adjacent said one end of said mandrel for maintaining said sleeve and said mandrel in coaxial relationship; a center block disposed within and secured to said mandrel between the ends thereof, one end of said sleeve being secured to said block; an end cap secured to the other end of said mandrel; a pair of slide rods disposed within said mandrel, each rod being secured at one end to said end cap and at the other end to said center block; a plunger supporting disk slidably mounted to said slide rods and disposed within said mandrel; a latch supporting disk slidably mounted to said slide rods and disposed within said mandrel between said end cap and said plunger supporting disk; at least one latch member pivotally secured to said latch supporting disk and extending through a first elongated slot in said mandrel, said slot being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel; a latch actuating rod extending through a hole in said end cap and secured at one end thereof to said plunger supporting disk; at least one latch release plunger secured to said plunger supporting disk, said plunger, when actuated by longitudinal movement of said actuating rod, causing said latch member to pivot so that said latch member is disposed entirely within said mandrel; a centering rod having a first end disposed within said sleeve, said centering rod extending longitudinally through holes in said center block and plunger supporting disk and being secured at a second end thereof to said latch supporting disk; spring means for longitudinally urging said first end of said centering rod toward said fixed support; a pulley assembly disposed within said mandrel between said center block and said supporting disk, said pulley assembly being mounted for rotation about a transverse axis; an annular roll holding flange assembly slidably mounted on said sleeve and disposed within said mandrel, said flange assembly having at least one flange member extending through a second elongated slot in said mandrel, said second slot being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel; flexible cord means connecting the flange assembly to said centering rod adjacent said first end thereof by way of said pulley assembly, so that longitudinal movement of said centering rod away from said end cap results in longitudinal sliding movement of said flange assembly toward said end cap; and plunger supporting disk return spring means for urging said plunger supporting disk toward said center block.
 2. A self-centering holder according to claim 1, further including latch biasing means for pivotally urging said latch to extend through said first elongated slot.
 3. A self-centering holder according to claim 1, wherein said pulley assembly is secured to said center block adjacent said plunger supporting disk, and said cord means comprises (i) a first cord having one end secured to said centering rod and the other end secured to said pulley assembly, said first cord extending through said sleeve and through a hole in said center block, and (ii) a second cord having one end secured to said flange assembly and the other end secured to said pulley assembly, said second cord extending through a hole in said center block.
 4. A self-centering holder according to claim 1, wherein said fixed support is rotatable between a roll loading position and an operating position.
 5. A self-centering holder for a roll having a hollow core, comprising: a fixed support; a hollow cylindrical elongated sleeve rotatably mounted on said support; a roll supporting hollow cylindrical elongated mandrel secured to said sleeve for rotation therewith, said sleeve extending into said mandrel through one end of the mandrel and being coaxial therewith; at least one slidable latch member disposed within said mandrel and extending through a longitudinal slot in said mandrel, said latch member being movaBle between a core-engaging position wherein said member abuts one end of the core of said roll, and a core-release position wherein said member is disposed entirely within said mandrel; a slidable flange assembly disposed within said mandrel and having at least one flange member extending through a longitudinal slot in said mandrel to engage the other end of the core of said roll; and coupling means including a pulley assembly disposed within said mandrel for mechanically connecting said latch member to said flange assembly to dispose said latch member and said flange assembly at equal distances from a desired plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel. 